The Pill????

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2004
The Pill????
3
Tue, 11-02-2004 - 8:56pm
I have irregular periods, about 4-6 a year and the only last about 4-5 days. Its annoying not knowing when they are going to happen.

Is the pill a good choice to make them regular?

What exactly does the pill do?

Is it costly?

How many different types are there?

Any negative side effects?

Thanx

from Caitlyn

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
In reply to: melody_415
Tue, 11-02-2004 - 9:33pm
Hi Caitlin, welcome!

>>Is the pill a good choice to make them regular?<<

A lot of women use hormonal contraceptives to regularize their periods so they may work well for you.

>>What exactly does the pill do?<<

Read ‘How the pill works and more’ in the FAQs for a good explanation of what the pill does.

>>Is it costly?<<

Without insurance the pill, patch (Ortho Evra) or ring (NuvaRing) costs about $35 USD per month. If you have health insurances or can get pills through student health or Planned Parenthood it could be considerably less.

>>How many different types are there?<<

I don’t know, but there a lot. A selection of 60+ brands and what hormones are in them can be found in the post ‘Your pills and what’s in them’, in the FAQs.

>>Any negative side effects?<<

The pill is quite safe for young, healthy, non-smoking women. Serious side effects are rare but when beginning hormonal contraceptives there can be annoying side effects as your body adjusts to the hormones in your method over the first several cycles. For more about side effects read the posts ‘Common pill side effects’ and ‘Irregular bleeding anyone…?’ in the FAQs.

I hope this is a help. If you have other questions please ask.

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: melody_415
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 6:34am
It's important to understand that the pill does not make your periods regular for real. The pill provides regular bleeding intervals every four weeks, but if you have irregular periods before going on the pill, the pill isn't likely to actually fix that for you so that when you stop taking the pill you may be back in the same boat you are now. It will help you, for the time being, though, to know when to expect bleeding.

You should make this decision in conjunction with your doctor, s/he knows your health history and whether you're a good candidate for the pill and if it's appropriate for your situation. The pill won't fix the problem, it will just cover it up, so if you're not using it for birth control purposes, you'll have to weigh the risk of side effects with your desire to have predictable bleeding patterns.

Good luck!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: melody_415
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 12:47pm
There are lots of choices in birth control pill....Your dr could really give you the best information as to which pill would be right in your situation.I started the pill when I was 18 years old mostly for period regulation and to have easier periods.There are different side effects that affect women different ranging from weight gain,hair loss,bigger breasts to in the most extreme blood clots.Depending on whether or not you have insurance and if they cover your pills or not they can range anywhere from $6 generic to $20 regular prescription to without insurance coverage $30 and up for a month's supply....But I can understand and relate as to why you're checking into the pill....GOOD LUCK!